The Adventures of Eurus Holmes
by PrairieLily
Summary: When Eurus Holmes becomes unbearably bored, she finds a way to explore the humanity her brother has been coaxing along. Family, background Sherlolly. References "Namesake", now complete - AGAIN! - as Greg Lestrade and Mrs. Hudson chapters have now been added. No copyright infringement intended!
1. Chapter 1

Nobody, especially not her keepers, would ever know quite how she did it.

Much like the speculation that made the British media explode when her famous brother, a mere one year senior, returned from the dead some two years after his very public suicide, nobody would ever quite figure it out. They may come dangerously close… but not quite.

And Eurus Holmes was content with that.

She would go "on the lam" as the saying went, have her fun for a day, and be back in her containment cell by bedtime.

Sometimes she would wander around a random area of London, observing the homeless, the middle class, the ordinary civilization that made up the majority of humanity.

Sometimes she would pose as a volunteer in a daycare, interacting with children to see if she could possibly find the child she once was - the proper credentials were laughably easy for her to obtain to that end. Other times she would attend a symphony concert – never perfectly performed of course, but she had learned that lower expectations meant less disappointment and hence, more satisfaction overall. Perhaps Sherlock's interpretation of the pieces they played together weren't so flawed after all.

Sometimes she would attend a cinema matinee. She learned she loved popcorn – light on the salt, heavy on the butter, and cheesy picture shows. Not surprisingly, she found she hadn't much use for "chick flicks" although they were fascinating and enlightening for her – but mystery and suspense held her undivided attention, and the more far-fetched, the better.

Her absences became easier over time as her guards had become complacent and didn't notice.

The new governor was too occupied with other "uncontainables" at Sherrinford. Eurus Holmes had become so docile that she was now a part of the background of their assigned charges.

It really was too easy to escape once a week… and even easier to find her way back in, undetected. No harm, no foul.

Eurus was having the time of her life, and she had Sherlock to thank for awakening the humanity that allowed for that.

Of course it had taken time - years in fact. It took her a disappointing amount of time to deduce where her brother lived with his wife, Dr. Molly Hooper, and infant son Will, Sherlock's best friend Dr. John Watson, his toddler daughter Rosie, and their landlady, Mrs. Hudson.

Considering how popular they were to Londoners, she considered that maybe being clever wasn't always as important as being AWARE.

She didn't seek freedom to cause trouble, or torment. She sought it to find what made her fellow humans tick. What made them sad. What made them angry. What made them laugh. What made them cry. But most of all, what made them and content. Truly, uncontainably, content.

She was disappointed to discover how easy it was to follow Sherlock as he took his god-daughter Rosie Watson, and his son – her own nephew –Will, for strolls. She observed how he was with them, and connected how he was with her – gentle and patient, though always watchful. She noted how it was certain days he would take them out, and on this occasion – with Molly and John coincidentally both away at medical conferences, seemed to be content to be their sole caregiver. She noted the tenderness he had found in his manner and voice and how his humanity had seemingly come from the act of caring about and for another human being.

She thought how her greatest failure just may be her greatest accomplishment.

In spite of all she had done to destroy Sherlock's heart and his emotions, she found now, to her relief, that she had completely, utterly failed. If anything, what she had tried to destroy out of childish jealousy, she had re-awakened by trying to repeat that destruction as an adult.

There was hope for her after all. Someone had refused to give up on her. SHERLOCK had refused to give up on her.

And when, two years after her Waterloo at Sherrinford and their childhood home, Musgrave Hall, where she hadn't factored in the concept that her brother might feel COMPASSION for her, she held his son, her own mind racing and her heart seizing with unfamiliar sensations, only realizing later the significance that she had been the very first person to touch, to smile at, to sing to, and indeed the one to name John Victor William Holmes, she felt but did not recognize love.

She only knew that this tiny human with his father's features and his mother's spunk was the first person in the world she might… what was that word?

Her curiosity was piqued, and she obsessed over it for months, through their visits and their absences, through their calls and their silence as life pulled them away from her for two or three days at a time. Always they returned. Without fail, they returned, whether it was in person or just in contact on the phone.

So, on the day she happened upon her brother, on an outing with Rosie Watson and his son Will Holmes, she decided that it was time to reveal herself.


	2. Chapter 2

Eurus followed behind Sherlock and the children silently, making sure to softly match her steps with his. Her petite, light frame made it easy for her to mask her presence, and he was already pre-occupied with Rosie and Will. Still, she didn't want to risk him noticing that he was being followed. She waited until Will began to fuss, and then quickened her pace to catch up.

When she was near enough she began to sing.

 _"Hush little baby, don't say a word, Auntie's going to buy you a mockingbird…"_

Sherlock stopped dead in his tracks. Eurus? But that was impossible, she was secure at Sherrinford. Slowly, he turned around as his baby sister caught up to him.

"How…?" he said softly, watching her in shocked amazement as she approached her nephew, still singing to him with her angelic voice. Sherlock stared down at her as she reached down and pulled Will out of the twinned pushchair he shared with Rosie. Immediately, the young boy calmed down as he felt his Aunt's familiar touch and heard her voice.

"Oh, the _how_ isn't important Sherlock, only the _why_. Sometimes you forget that, brother." She smiled up at him. Sherlock blinked rapidly.

"Alright, then." Sherlock, still confused and a little shocked to see his sister in front of him, free as a bird, pursed his lips, thinking, but came up with nothing else to say. He placed his hand on her back and gestured for her to continue their stroll with them.

"You know Sherlock, I'm amazed you haven't found it criminal that a person who was driven to do such terrible things through loneliness and jealousy has been kept in solitary confinement for decades." She brushed her cheek against Will's silken dark curls, taking in the sensation of innocence and the smell of his baby shampoo still lingering. His hair had gotten longer since Sherlock and Molly had last visited her at Sherrinford with their son.

"It doesn't seem a very effective way to eliminate the underlying problem, does it?"

Sherlock looked down at her and smiled. "No, indeed it does not. I suppose Uncle Rudy didn't think that far ahead when he placed you there. And Mycroft obviously didn't think of it at all." He shook his head. "I confess, it didn't occur to me either, I'm afraid. I am so sorry for that, Eurus."

Eurus laughed softly, dismissing the apology. "Why would it occur to you Sherlock? You didn't even remember that I existed, let alone know where I was and the conditions I was being held in. You've done your best to help me in spite of everything I did to you and John and Mycroft. You at least understand that solitary confinement isn't the answer for someone who is lonely and abandoned. It isn't your fault that you can't change my circumstances, after all."

Sherlock nodded, spotting a park bench ahead. "Come, let's sit. I think Rosie wants to stretch her legs."

Making their way to the bench, Sherlock said, "No, I suppose you're right. I still feel though that… if I hadn't been so dismissive all those years ago, perhaps…" He reached down and pulled Rosie out of the pushchair, setting her down on her feet. Almost immediately, she ran over to a patch of wildflowers growing nearby.

"You can't change the past, brother. You can only do what you have already been doing. Changing the pattern. I know it sometimes appears that I am beyond reaching but I'm not anymore. You are no longer dismissive and only interested in playing pirates with your best friend." She smiled inwardly as Sherlock wrapped an arm around her shoulders, giving them a squeeze.

"No, I suppose I'm not, am I. By the way, speaking of change... according to the rules, the adult holding the baby is in charge of changing their nappy." He winked at her and grinned broadly as she stared at him, confused.

"Nappy? But he doesn't need his…"

"Incoming in four… three… two…one…" Sherlock counted down with a gleam of mischief in his eyes and a playful grin as Will's face scrunched ever so briefly, a tiny grunt coming from his throat. "That's my boy," he murmured, reaching over to tousle the curls.

"Oh…" she exclaimed, her eyes growing wide, just as Rosie returned with her tiny fist full of wildflowers. The tiny blonde girl presented them to Eurus, smiling and giggling.

"You may want to take those. Just. Saying." Sherlock grinned at her, his eyes aglow with laughter.

"Fortunately, you have experience changing nappies, don't you sister?" Sherlock continued. Eurus smiled at him, puzzled and intrigued. "You bear a faint scent of hand sanitizer and baby powder, which did not come from my son as his shampoo smells of lavender to help him sleep. Additionally your fingernails have traces of glitter glue, and there is a small piece of craft paper stuck to your sleeve. I'd mention the spot of pureed peas on your ear but I'm sure my point has been made. Which daycare is it you've been to?"

Eurus laughed out loud, handing her bouquet of wildflowers over to Sherlock to hold for her. She reached into the bag to retrieve the necessary supplies to change her nephew's nappy, and began to regale Sherlock with her adventures.


	3. Chapter 3

Having found the courage to reveal herself to her youngest older brother, Eurus, over the course of the next several weeks, she revealed herself to others.

The next one she felt overwhelmingly compelled to contact was her sister-in-law, Molly Hooper-Holmes, still professionally known simply as Dr. Molly Hooper. One fateful and eventful day at Sherrinford, Eurus and Molly had bonded in a very special way – a way that required absolute trust and faith in Molly's part, in a time of a woman's ultimate vulnerability, in one who had yet to prove herself worthy of it. Circumstances had provided no alternative, and Eurus had proven herself absolutely.

Molly, in the following months, remembered being held by Eurus protectively as she herself held her newborn son, in Eurus's cell at Sherrinford. At the time, she remembered only the sweet face of her baby, now healthy and pink and strong after his rough start in life, for he was her sole focus in those first moments. But now, in retrospect, she remembered arms around her and a voice, ironically ethereal, singing sweetly close to her ear at the baby she held.

Molly accompanied Sherlock with baby Will to Sherrinford whenever her schedule at St. Bart's allowed. Eurus was always happy to see the petite pathologist she had come to regard as her own "best friend".

Sherlock was always able to bring her back down whenever she felt herself stranded in the plane, but Molly made her feel that she wasn't alone anymore, and able to handle it when she found herself suddenly aloft, far above everyone else. With Molly there, she could wait without as much fear as before, while Sherlock found the way to bring her home.

So, Eurus had donned a lab coat, tied her long black hair into a messy bun, bought a pair of spectacles with clear glass lenses, and with easily obtained clearance strode into the lab where Molly was running tests. She had been, in the past after all, a master of disguise.

Molly hadn't noticed who had entered the lab. She vaguely noted that it wasn't Sherlock – the footsteps did not match those of her husband's. She assumed it was some random assistant or perhaps someone else cleared to enter the lab. "I'll be just a moment," she said, not looking up from the microscope, but raising her hand.

"No hurry, sister." the newcomer said lightly.

Molly blinked. Then she held her breath and blinked again.

No. It couldn't be. It was impossible.

"Eurus!" she breathed out finally, as she looked up and towards the smiling figure standing before her.

Molly wasn't sure if she should feel fear, elation, or absolute confusion. In a few moments of contemplating her options, she decided. She walked over to Eurus and wrapped her up in her arms in a bear hug.

"Now what the HELL are you doing here… HERE!?"

"Oh… taking in the symphony… changing dodgy nappies… watching terribly cheesy cinema… stalking my family… stalking London… in short… exploring what people do." Eurus tried to explain, and wondered immediately if Molly understood any of it.

"Stalking… what?" Molly said, leading her sister-in-law to the nearest set of chairs.

"Sherrinford is SO booooring. I'd explain it but you should probably ask Sherlock. I spent time with him and Will and Rosie last week. Hence the…"

Molly laughed. "Dodgy nappy. And the stalking your family? THAT must be why Rosie mentioned you and Sherlock looked more smug than usual. Did he pull that "adult holding the baby" nonsense on you?"

"He might have," Eurus admitted. "Oh it wasn't THAT bad," she smiled dismissively. "Spending the afternoon with them was marvelous. Look," she said, pulling a small pressed flower out of her pocket. "Rosie gave this to me at the park. What does it mean?"

Molly took the flower from her and studied it. "It means that a small innocent person likes you and trusts you unconditionally." Molly smiled at Eurus's momentary confusion. "It's a very good thing," she elaborated, smiling warmly. "You know it's said that children and animals see the true nature of something or someone. Rosie sees something in you that is very good, and so does Will. Oh, he adores you Eurus. Have you ever noticed how he coos and smiles when you hold him? He reaches up and grabs your nose and giggles."

Eurus furrowed her brows and crossed her arms. "I have… I'm not sure I understand it, but I know it's a good thing. I think I'm beginning to understand though."

Molly rose from her chair and looked up at the clock in the lab. "Oh, it's nearly time for lunch break. Join me in the cafeteria? It won't offer very exciting fare but it will stop the grumbling in your belly," she said. Eurus frowned, just as her hand involuntarily rose to her midsection as it gurgled.

"Have you ever eaten at Sherrinford, sister? It's no wonder I've grown to prefer the popcorn at the cinema. It's far more exciting than anything served there. It was the only time I missed my childhood. The food – the REAL food. Oh the beef wellington… the English breakfasts… Yorkshire puddings… the mincemeat pies… and everything Mummy would serve us."

"Well," Molly shrugged, "I'm afraid there's none of that in the cafeteria. But they do serve a decent fish and chips. I KNOW you like chips."

"I love chips," Eurus said, reaching out for Molly's hand. "But whether or not they're decent remains to be seen. Remember I've been stalking London. I've found places better than even Sherlock has uncovered for chips."

Hand in hand, the sisters-in-law walked out of the lab, and down the hallway to the cafeteria.


	4. Chapter 4

Eurus sat in the waiting room at the private clinic where her brother's best friend and detecting partner practiced his day job as a GP. She tried to remain inconspicuous, as had become her habit while at large in London, as she filled out forms as vaguely as possible. She had revealed herself to Sherlock and Molly, and as she had also revealed herself to little Rosie Watson – who Molly indicated spoke of the visit – Eurus judged it would be better to reveal herself to Rosie's father, Dr. John Watson, sooner rather than later.

Down the hallway, John Watson sat in his office, rubbing his temples.

Sometimes private practice could be so… taxing… and so, soooo boring.

His nurse knocked on his door. John rose his head and put on a smile for what felt like the hundredth time that morning.

PLEASE, not another case of piles, sciatica, the common cold, or the day winner – four flaming cases of gout.

"Yes," he said, as the nurse opened the door with a clipboard in her hand.

"Your next patient, Dr. Watson," the nurse said in a soft Irish lilt. "She's complaining of a myriad of symptoms. Seems like a bit of a mystery to be honest," she smiled softly. "Maybe a bit of variety." She sounded as though she were fighting off the drudgery of the GP office as well.

"Thank you Siobhan, send her in," as he reached out to take the forms Siobhan offered to him.

John read through the papers quickly. No symptoms stood out, it all seemed rather vague. It was then he noticed that the patient had failed to fill in her name.

"So, Miss… what was your name again? I'm afraid you forgot to fill it ou…" John trailed off as he looked up.

"Miss Holmes, Dr. Watson. Eurus Holmes. I think you are familiar with my case, are you not?"

"Eurus," John breathed out as he exhaled in a rush. "What are you doing… how did you… what the HELL?"

"I got bored," Eurus shrugged. "The food is dreadful and the entertainment even worse. Did you know that even musical perfection can become terribly boring to hear? Molly told me that a person can become tired of their own cooking and lose appetite for it. I suppose the same can be said for the violin."

John, who had in the meantime, risen out of his chair, sat down again, risen once more, and found himself sitting back down, found himself speechless.

"Mrs… Hudson…? Who else knows you've escaped besides… well ME?"

Eurus paused a moment, then stepped forward to seat herself in the chair opposite John at this desk.

"Oh not many… Sherlock of course… Molly… Rosie… Will… London in general, though they haven't a clue who I am."

"My DAUGHTER knows you're on the lam from Sherrinford? Bloody hell, why am I always the last to know…" John exclaimed, half muttering to himself. His hand couldn't seem to decide if it wanted to rub his forehead or sit restlessly in front of him on the desk.

"She gave me wildflowers. She's a toddler, I'm sure she isn't aware WHO I am, just that I'm… familiar. Sherlock can explain better. Oh, by the way, if he says anything about the adult holding the baby…"

John snorted with spontaneous laughter. "I know. Don't trust him. He didn't come up with that himself, you know. He learned that from me. Rosie is two years older than Will, don't forget. Once bitten, twice shy… four times more likely to pass on the favour."

Eurus rolled her eyes. "Oh I should have KNOWN he was far more clever than I've given him credit for." Then she smiled cautiously. "So. The last time we were in an office together… I may have shot you. I do apologize for that, John."

"You did, in fact, shoot me, and you know I never did understand that one," John said to her, cocking his head at her. "It seemed so random… so pointless. Hell of a tranquilizer though. Felt like a week had passed by the time I woke up." He leaned back in his chair, finally feeling more at ease in her presence. "I suppose it doesn't matter now, really."

"If it no longer matters to you, that's good enough for me. It may have had more to do with escaping once I'd revealed myself to you. It was so long ago, I'm not sure I remember exactly why. It was rather mean though, wasn't it. Oh and by the way, I only escape from Sherrinford for a day at a time, no more than once per week. Again, Sherlock can explain."

"Right then… speaking of explaining, would you care to explain what exactly it is you're doing here?"

"I've been exploring, meeting people, observing, learning, absorbing. Eating the most fabulous chips… Oh Sherlock would be so jealous…" Eurus smiled to herself as though she had some great secret she was dying to spill to someone.

John looked at his watch. Ah. It was nearing noon. "Well I can't promise chips, but there's a fairly decent Chinese place down the street from here if you'd like to continue this over lunch."

Lunch held more appeal to him than just filling the void in his belly. It meant this dreary drudging day, which had admittedly taken on an intriguing turn, was half over.

Eurus paused a moment, thinking. There was a park bench a few buildings down, where a few wildflowers grew. She thought perhaps she might like to pick some for Rosie.

"Yes, that would work," she said. "Just one request though."

John's eyebrows furrowed in curiosity.

"I'd like to stop to pick some flowers for Rosie. I'd like to return a gift she gave to me recently. She taught me a lesson I needed to learn, but it took Molly to explain it. I'm good at observing, but not always seeing. I'm still working on that but maybe, if you would, you could help me with that? You and Sherlock are famous for doing both. I think perhaps you work in tandem. That's why you're so good at what you do."

John smiled warmly, approaching Eurus. "I think I can do my best. I can't promise much enlightenment in one day though, just a head's up. We can probably get a start on it though." He crooked his arm and offered it to her. "Siobhan," he called out, "I'm leaving for lunch with… a friend. I'll be back in an hour."


	5. Chapter 5

Sherlock, having been called to Mycroft's office, breezed in, the bottom hem of his belstaff flowing with his graceful movements.

"I trust Eurus has been to see you by now?" Mycroft asked Sherlock, casually.

Sherlock levelled a look, brows furrowed, at his older brother. "Excuse me, Mycroft?"

"Oh don't play stupid with me, brother mine. Eurus has escaped from Sherrinford and returned within the same 20 hour period no fewer than 18 times. They may not know what she's been up to, but I know, Sherlock. I ALWAYS know." Mycroft circled around to his chair and sat down, folding his hands in front of him and gazing up at his brother thoughtfully. Sherlock returned the look with a raised eyebrow.

"She has, in fact, been to see me a few times now," Sherlock admitted. "I made her change Will's poonami nappy," Sherlock said, grinning to himself. "It was _glorious_."

"Poo… nami?" Mycroft asked, clearly perplexed. "Am I better off not knowing what that means?"

"You are," Sherlock replied, briskly. "Now, to the matter at hand. You knew Eurus was leaving Sherrinford on day trips? Why did you do nothing to stop her?"

Mycroft knew this day would come eventually and had prepared himself for it.

"It's quite simple, really. You and your family, as well as Dr. Watson and his daughter, have been interacting with her on your regular visits for the past two and a half years. These visits and contact with your own special versions of "normal" have seemingly awakened something good in her, and she seems to crave more contact with the outside world. Her self-authorized day-passes have helped her to become… socialized. I daresay she has more humanity than I do now."

"Not much of a stretch," Sherlock sing-songed under his breath. Mycroft glared at him, narrowing his eyes and making a face.

"Given the danger she's posed in the past and the reasons for it," Mycroft continued, "this means that she has, in effect, neutralized herself as a threat. This is verified by the fact that you have known for weeks yourself, brother mine, yet you failed to report it to me. Clearly you see that she no longer poses any danger to you and so do Molly and Dr. Watson."

Mycroft leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms, as Sherlock spoke. "Indeed. One would think that panic would have ensued. Instead, we all seem to have taken on a rather... _casual_ reaction to her sudden appearance, once the initial shock had worn off." He took on a thoughtful look as he cocked his head slightly and crossed his arms behind his back.

Mycroft nodded at his brother. "In fact, I found that to be rather unusual, myself. But then again, I'm not prone to sentiment. Eurus will never leave Sherrinford permanently, but for as long as I have say in it, she _will_ be permitted to go on the lam, as they say, whenever she pleases. Should the security personnel at Sherrinford ever become wise to her activities, they will be instructed NOT to intervene or prevent her from leaving… in no uncertain terms. She is also," Mycroft said with emphasis and a pointed look up at Sherlock, " _not_ to know that I am fully aware of her activities. She must be allowed to believe that what she is doing is unbeknownst to anyone but you and whoever else she has made a point to contact. She feels safe with you. But with me, she may fear being locked up more securely. That would only hinder the progress she's made."

"I see," Sherlock said simply. "So what do you know of her activities thus far? I know she has volunteered at a daycare after having forged the proper documentation for clearance to work with children, in fact surprisingly she seems rather naturally at ease with Will and Rosie. I also know she has volunteered at St. Bartholomew's after having forged similar clearance. That's how Molly came to find out she'd been leaving Sherrinford on regular outings. They've had lunch a few times, actually." She has also been in contact with John, again, they've had lunch on numerous occasions."

"She's been mostly exploring," Mycroft said, "taking in the local entertainment. The symphony, the cinema, local outdoor theatre, browsing in the marketplace, that sort of thing. Harmless activities, hence her being left alone and being allowed to wander around."

"So, you judge this to be benign activity then," Sherlock said, noting that Mycroft had completely missed the fact that their sister had made a point of interacting with family more than she had in engaging in mere cultural awareness excursions. He suspected that this was something that Mycroft had merely chosen not to point out, rather than something he had actually failed to observe.

Mycroft took on a calm expression of defense, recognizing Sherlock's tone to not be one of questioning and wanting clarification, but rather challenging him to differ.

"You, who have just reiterated that you are immune to sentiment, feel that our sister can, will, and _is_ benefiting emotionally and psychologically from independently exploring the world outside of her prison." Sherlock crossed his arms and raised a challenging eyebrow.

" _You_ , who have claimed in the past not to be prone to expressions of brotherly compassion," Sherlock smiled slightly and smugly, cocking his head at his older brother, "are allowing this to continue indefinitely."

"You have been an exception, brother mine. I admit. Perhaps through you, Eurus has become an exception as well."

"Not prone to compassion" Sherlock snorted, "I call bollocks, _brother mine_ ," he said, laughing. He snapped the collar of his trademark Belstaff. "There really is hope for you yet." Sherlock winked, and turning with a flourish, walked out of Mycroft's office.

He was starving, he was out of patience, and he had a wife, a best friend, and a sister, all waiting on him to join them for lunch.


	6. Chapter 6

_Well this plot bunny business is escalating quickly. I have realized in the last couple of days, while trying to round up these damn plot bunnies that are taking over my writing and inspiring me almost exclusively in my Eurstrade universe, that "The Adventures of Eurus Holmes" was missing a couple of chapters. Namely, Greg Lestrade – whose 25 year friendship with Eurus mentioned in "Completion" needed explaining as to how it began in the first place; and of course, everyone's favourite landlady-not-your-housekeeper, Mrs. Hudson. I need to let the plot bunny responsible for Hudders and Eurus find its way into the rabbit warren, but in the meantime, here is the beginning of the friendship that eventually culminated in the "Eurstrade" pairing in my recent fic, "Completion" and continued in "Wondrous Mediocrity"._

* * *

Eurus kept stealthy pace behind Sherlock, out for another stroll with Rosie and Will in the pushchair they shared. While she would normally rush up to greet them without hesitation, embracing her brother warmly and whisking whichever baby wasn't asleep out of the pushchair for a cuddle, this time, she found her brother walking with a companion.

Not just any companion, mind you – this companion was none other than DI Greg Lestrade, of New Scotland Yard.

For as much as Eurus longed to see her brother and the children, she was wary of Greg. The first, and last time they'd really been in contact was at the charred and abandoned ruins of her, Sherlock, and Mycroft's childhood ancestral home, Musgrave Hall. She didn't remember much after Sherlock had gotten through to her and gotten her to open up to him about where she had trapped John, but she remembered the ironically kind face and comforting warm brown eyes of Greg Lestrade, being gentle but firm as he arrested her and took her into custody, no doubt thanks to Sherlock's influence on his friend. "She's fragile, Greg. Please look after her for me?" Eurus vaguely remembered her brother saying to the Detective Inspector, shock and weariness in his baritone voice.

So, cautiously, silently, she kept pace behind the two men, matching Greg's footsteps, knowing he would be more likely to notice her behind them than her brother, distracted with the children as he was. She was startled to hear her brother's loud baritone voice ring out in front of her, "It's alright, sister. Greg knows about you. There's no need to be afraid."

Eurus gasped in shock, coming to a halt. She stood, startled and a little bit frightened, as the two men in front of her came to a full stop. Slowly, they both turned around, Sherlock, smiling warmly at his sister and gesturing her to join them. Eurus hesitated, until Greg, smiling and holding out his hand, walked back towards her.

"I'm not going to arrest you this time, I promise," he said, laughing lightly. "It's alright. I know what you've been up to. Sherlock has explained everything. He said you might join us today, in fact, asked if I'd mind. Obviously I don't. Thought I might like to meet the new and improved Eurus Holmes for myself."

Eurus, still too shocked to speak, stood rooted to the spot as Greg drew closer, greeting her with the same warm brown eyes that had made her trust that she was safe when he'd arrested her out at Musgrave Hall two years prior. Something about that reassured her that there was nothing to fear from him, so as he bent his arm and patted his elbow, she took him up on the offer, reaching over and hooking her hand into his arm. "I tried to be a gentleman when I arrested you. I'm still a gentleman. At least I like to think so," he laughed.

Sherlock snorted at this, shaking his head. "When you're not being a facetious old git," he said, chuckling and watching as Greg gently escorted Eurus back to where he stood waiting.

Greg smiled inwardly with relief as a burst of giggle erupted from Eurus's throat. The tension broken and her fears abolished, Eurus laughed softly. "Brother, I am reasonably certain that you taught him everything he knows about being a facetious old git." Releasing her escort's arm with a warm smile and a nod of gratitude to him, she turned and reached down, lightly touching Rosie's blond curls. "Ah, sweet little dozy Rosie," she cooed softly, as Greg looked on, fascinated and somehow reassured by this first look at the "new and improved" Eurus Holmes. He glanced at Sherlock, sharing a look of cautious approval.

"I'm afraid you don't get the cuddles today, sleepy little one," Eurus said to the little girl. Gingerly, she unfastened Will, pulling him carefully from the pushchair, so as not to wake the snoozing Rosie. The baby boy smiled at the familiar face of his aunt, cooing and reaching for her nose. Eurus murmured soft words to him and took his chubby little hand, kissing his palm as he giggled happily while they resumed their walk.

* * *

 _"So… Greg. There's something you should probably be aware of," Sherlock said to his friend, DI Greg Lestrade, as he strapped Rosie and Will into the pushchair. "We've been having a visitor these past several months, and you may be meeting her today as this is her regular… visit time." Sherlock cleared his throat._

 _Greg cocked his head at his friend, concern passing over his face. "Are you telling me this as DI Lestrade, or as your friend Greg, Sherlock?"_

 _Sherlock took a breath and let it out slowly. "As my friend. Well… perhaps both I suppose… but mainly as my friend. There's really no casual way to tell you this so please bear with me. Eurus has been escaping Sherrinford on a regular basis and going on… well I suppose social outings are the best way to describe what she's been doing. She's been interacting with my own family and with John and Rosie, and I believe Mrs. Hudson as well based upon a few of her offhanded remarks."_

 _Greg nodded slowly. "Well, I know she's been making progress at Sherrinford, what with your regular visits and all. It's common enough knowledge that she delivered Will in her cell and even Molly speaks fondly of her now. But going on the lam? Surely Mycroft must know about this."_

 _Sherlock, having secured the children in the pushchair, gestured for Greg to follow as they commenced their stroll. "He does. He has also issued strict instructions that Eurus is not to be told that he knows what she's been doing, nor is she to be prevented from doing so. He fears it could instill fear of reprisal and prevent her from attempting to leave on her weekly adventures. There can be no question that she has benefitted from her outings. She's becoming socialized and… well she's slowly finding her humanity."_

 _"Hm," Greg mumbled. "So you're saying that Mycroft has, in essence, authorized her little escapes over the wall, as it were. Well, now I think I've heard everything. Your brother, who likes to control everyone and everything, is condoning and secretly encouraging your sister to wander about in public and do whatever the hell she pleases?"_

 _"Well I was no less surprised than you are, trust me," Sherlock said, reaching down to adjust the shade over Rosie and Will. "Mycroft refers to it as her neutralizing herself as a threat. So just a heads up then. We are likely to encounter her today, and she is likely to join us but only provided she feels safe. After all, the last time she saw you, you were slapping handcuffs on her. That's not likely to leave a very favourable first impression."_

 _Greg laughed out loud. "Not really meant to, mate. But with her, I tried to be nice about it. I'm not a complete bastard and all three of you had clearly been to hell and back. I think it was more in deference to your request than anything."_

 _"Well, I did appreciate that, Greg, if I've never said so. She was too close to shattering. Thank God she didn't, or I wouldn't have my sister back. She really is changing. She has a long way to go yet, but she has also come a long way in the past two years. I think I'd like for you to see that for yourself. I confess that's the main reason I've invited you along today. I didn't want you to find out and react in haste, as either my friend or as a DI."_

 _"Oh, so it's not just so you can try that "adult holding the baby" bollocks on me?" Greg snorted. "I never fell for that before, don't think for a moment I will be anytime soon." Sherlock shook his head at this, grinning._

 _"I'll keep an open mind then," Greg continued, returning to the topic at hand. "As your friend, I trust you, and if you say that Eurus can be trusted as well, that's good enough for me. But you're right, as a DI, I'd prefer to see this for myself."_

 _"Well you won't have long to wait then," Sherlock said casually. "Don't turn around, she's behind us, approximately 17 metres. She's keeping pace with your footsteps, probably thinks that I'm too distracted with the babies to notice, so most likely she's matching yours to avoid alerting you instead. She sometimes forgets how observant I am when I'm out with the children." He cleared his throat, cuing Greg with a quick glance._

 _"It's alright, sister. Greg knows about you. There's no need to be afraid," Sherlock called out as they both turned around, smiling warmly and welcomingly, to meet the shocked face of Eurus Holmes._


	7. Chapter 7

Eurus embraced Greg Lestrade in a friendly goodbye hug as he dropped her off at 221 Baker Street to spend the remainder of her visit day with Mrs. Hudson. She took a deep breath to remember the day, drinking in the mingling scents of his preferred cologne and the lingering aroma of the popcorn they'd shared at the matinee they'd taken in that afternoon.

"We'll be baking today, I believe," she said as they broke the embrace. "I think gingerbread, if my efforts aren't too abominable this time, there's a heads up, Gregory. Best call dibs before Sherlock comes across it. You know gingerbread is his favourite," Eurus advised him, with a laugh. "He'll go on the sniff the moment he catches wind of ginger and molasses in the air."

Greg thought back to Eurus's last few baking lessons. Baking was just science, she had said. How hard could it be?, she had said.

He did have to admit she'd been improving rapidly of late, though, slyly making sure to let her know that he preferred oatmeal biscuits with raisins rather than without – a particular recipe that she seemed to excel at for some reason. Greg knew that Sherlock detested raisins, and while John didn't mind them, he wasn't as likely to raid the supply of fresh baking Mrs. Hudson regularly left in the kitchen, unless there were blueberry muffins on hand. That meant more for the Scotland Yard DI when he stopped by for a cup of tea and a quick consult with Sherlock.

"I'll definitely remember that," Greg said, grinning. "You've been getting a lot better, but I'd best try it out anyway just to, you know, make sure your lessons are progressing properly," he said with a mischievous glint and a chuckle. His impish expression settled into a warm and friendly smile. "Have a safe trip back to Sherrinford if I don't see you again today," he said, with a wave goodbye.

When Eurus had passed through the door into Mrs. Hudson's flat, she caught the scent of something across between berries and citrus. Mrs. Hudson had already started with the baking, it appeared, and greeted her with a plate of fresh cranberry lemon muffins.

"Oh, my favourite," she gushed, setting down her bag. "I was hoping to have these before I have to leave this evening! They always make me feel at home here. Thank you, Mrs. Hudson!" she said, embracing the older woman.

"Oh, it's no bother, love," Mrs. Hudson said, settling down in the chair opposite Eurus. "This place hasn't always felt like home though, has it?"

Eurus blushed and winced regretfully. "Not one of my more stellar moments, was it. I don't actually think I HAD any stellar moments back then."

"Why you felt it too clumsy to actually rig Molly's flat with explosives but not at all clumsy to fly a drone with a grenade into one of my flats and detonate it is beyond me, dear," Mrs. Hudson shook her head. "Now Mycroft I could almost forgive, but if anything had happened to my boys," she tsked. "You know Sherlock and John are the sons I usually wish I had. Just," she whispered secretively, "don't tell THEM that."

Eurus smiled bashfully. "I'm so grateful you went easy on me when I finally gathered up the gumption to talk to you about it. I'm not sure I could have been so forgiving of someone who had been so bent on destruction and revenge, especially if I were essentially collateral damage. Actually… I know I couldn't have been," she said regretfully. "At least not two years ago."

Mrs. Hudson rose from the table to retrieve the teapot she had left on the counter. "Well you were lucky that Sherlock and John talked to me first. You've got them to thank for you not being tossed out on your arse and banished from my property, my girl. I have never been one to suffer fools gladly, but they reminded me of what you were and who you are becoming, and the progress you've been making and of everything you did for Molly when William was born. And," she said, as she poured the tea into the cups, "Rosie gushes non-stop about Will's 'Annie Russ'. Oh, Eurus, she was so proud of the flowers you gave her the day you revealed yourself to John, you would think you'd given her a pony or something! She cried so when they finally had to be tossed in the bin."

"Dozy Rosie is a very special little girl," Eurus said warmly. "There's something very… _healing_ about the trust and devotion of a child."

"Yes," Mrs. Hudson agreed, stirring her tea, "there is. We can learn a great many things from the innocence of little ones like Rosie and Will."

Both women glanced at the oven as the timer went off. Rising from her chair, Eurus picked up an oven mitt to retrieve the pan from the oven chamber.

"So, are we still making gingerbread today?" Eurus asked, setting the hot pan down and reaching for her apron. "I know it's Sherlock's favourite and I may have promised Gregory a sampling," she said with a contented laugh.

Sherrinford may be where she was forced to live, but whether she were spending time in Mrs. Hudson's flat, in 221B with Sherlock, Molly, John, and the little ones, wandering around exploring London with Greg, or the myriad of things she would experience on these once-weekly days - all of these places and with all of these people would always feel like home.


End file.
